Preview Roundups
July 09, 2014
LA Dodgers at Detroit 1:08 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers turn to Zack Greinke in an effort to slow down the Detroit Tigers in the second of two meetings at Detroit on Wednesday afternoon. Greinke, no stranger to the Tigers from his days with Kansas City, is 13-6 with a 2.74 ERA in 27 career games against Detroit, but will be facing an offense that erupted in a 14-5 rout in the series opener Tuesday night. The Tigers produced season highs in runs and hits (20) while going 12-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
San Diego at Colorado 3:10 PM ET
Charlie Blackmon rediscovered his stroke in a rare Colorado victory and looks to swing the bat well again when the Rockies host the San Diego Padres on Wednesday in the finale of their three-game series. The All-Star outfielder was scuffling through an 8-for-46 funk over a 13-game stretch before going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Colorado’s 2-1 victory on Tuesday. The win was only the fourth in 22 games for the Rockies, while the Padres fell to 12-46 when scoring three or fewer runs.
Toronto at LA Angels 3:35 PM ET
The Toronto Blue Jays finally broke into the win column in the sixth game of their 10-game road trip and now look to capture the series when they face the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game set. Toronto won for only the third time in 11 games to close within 2 1/2 games of first-place Baltimore in the American League East. The Blue Jays snapped an 0-for-25 drought with runners in scoring position in halting the Angels' 11-game home winning streak.
Miami at Arizona 3:40 PM ET
The Miami Marlins try to build off an improbable victory when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday in the rubber match of a three-game series. Miami was down to its last strike when Marcell Ozuna belted a two-run homer, lifting the Marlins to a 2-1 victory for only their second win in its last eight games at Chase Field. "He got a good pitch to hit and didn't miss it," Miami manager Mike Redmond told reporters about Ozuna. "In this ballpark you can do some damage on one swing."
Washington at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
Chris Davis had a breakout season a year ago, leading the majors with 53 homers, but his struggles this season have made 2013 a distant memory. Davis snapped out of a 2-for-38 funk by belting a tiebreaking homer in the 11th inning to send the Baltimore Orioles on their way to an 8-2 victory over the host Washington Nationals on Monday night. Rain postponed Tuesday's contest, so the home-and-home interleague series will shift to Baltimore for two games Wednesday and Thursday.
NY Yankees at Cleveland 7:05 PM ET
Cleveland's Michael Brantley is headed to his first All-Star Game and appears intent on arriving there in the midst of a hot streak as the Indians host the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Brantley hit a solo homer and delivered run-scoring doubles in two other at-bats as Cleveland won on Tuesday for the fifth time in seven games. Brantley has produced six multi-hit efforts in the seven contests and the .328 hitter leads the Indians with 14 homers and 60 RBIs.
Chi. White Sox at Boston 7:10 PM ET
Chicago ace Chris Sale likely will find his way onto the American League All-Star roster, but he'll try to remain sharp in his final audition when the White Sox visit the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday in the third contest of a four-game series. "It’s an honor to be thought of in any way,'' Sale, among the five AL players competing in the final vote, told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I’m not much of a self-promoter. I’ll let my teammates have fun with it.’’
Atlanta at NY Mets 7:10 PM ET
The New York Mets get a member of their starting rotation back from the disabled list when Dillon Gee starts Wednesday’s home contest against the Atlanta Braves, but he takes the spot of another injured New York hurler. Gee, out since May 10 with a strained lat muscle, replaces Jon Niese, who is heading to the DL with a strained left shoulder. The Mets won the first two of a four-game set, delivering a season-high 18 hits in Tuesday’s 8-3 victory for the 4,000th victory in franchise history.
Chi. Cubs at Cincinnati 7:10 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds are making a charge up the National League Central standings, and a visit from the Chicago Cubs certainly is helping. The Reds have claimed the first three of a five-game series to pull within 3 1/2 games of the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Cincinnati will try to capitalize on the momentum it created by capping a day-night doubleheader sweep with a rally from a five-run deficit, it's largest comeback win of the season.
Kansas City at Tampa Bay 7:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays surprisingly had the worst record in baseball for most of June, but as the All-Star break approaches they are creeping toward playoff contention. The Rays won 11 of their last 14 contests and can capture their fourth consecutive series when they host the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in the rubber match of a three-game set. “We’re used to doing this in the past,” Rays manager Joe Maddon told reporters after Tuesday’s 4-3 win. “We’re starting to get that feeling back again.”
Houston at Texas 8:05 PM ET
Yu Darvish has been hit unusually hard of late but it was an unusual hit that threatened to keep the Texas Rangers ace from making his scheduled start Wednesday. Darvish survived a scare Tuesday when he was hit in the head by a fly ball during batting practice while throwing in the outfield but he is expected to start the series finale against the visiting Houston Astros. Darvish tweeted he was "fine" after the incident but he will be re-examined Wednesday by the team doctor.
Philadelphia at Milwaukee 8:10 PM ET
The National League Central pack is gaining on the Milwaukee Brewers, who have dropped seven of their last eight including the first two contests of a four-game set with the visiting Philadelphia Phillies that resumes Wednesday. The Brewers' division lead has dwindled to three games as they limp toward the All-Star break. They've played poorly enough lately to turn around the last-place Phillies, who had dropped 13 of 16 before claiming the first two games of the series.
Pittsburgh at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
The St. Louis Cardinals look to clinch a series victory when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third contest of their four-game set on Wednesday. St. Louis has rebounded from back-to-back home losses to Miami by winning the first two games against Pittsburgh in walk-off fashion. Matt Adams belted a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning for a 2-0 triumph in Monday's opener and Kolten Wong launched a solo shot with two down in the final frame on Tuesday.
Minnesota at Seattle 10:10 PM ET
After a hitting tear helped cement his first trip to the All-Star Game, Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager has struggled and aims to improve on his recent efforts when the Mariners host the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. Seager went through 18 consecutive hitless at-bats before producing a sixth-inning single in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Twins. The downturn came after a stretch in which Seager had eight multi-hit outings in an 11-game span.
Oakland at San Francisco 10:15 PM ET
The league-leading Oakland Athletics seek their season-high seventh straight victory when they visit the San Francisco Giants as their home-and-home interleague series continues Wednesday. Oakland swept a four-game set against visiting Toronto and began its string against San Francisco with a pair of home triumphs, outscoring the Giants 11-1. The Athletics received outstanding efforts from their pitching staff on the homestand, allowing a total of five runs during the winning streak.